A Letter To The Editor From Victor Mitchell, Candidate for Governor: Enough Is Enough

My 14-year-old daughter asked if her school is safe. That’s a tough question for parents these times.

Colorado should lead the nation and attempt to reduce school and mass shootings. We need a non-political task force comprised of experts within a range of disciplines based on empirical evidence. The task force would be mandated to identify specific actions that would promote public and school safety, based on established facts instead of politics. And, everything should be on the table.

Members of the task force must be problem solvers, not politicized problem talkers. And they should have a hard deadline for reporting their factual findings. If they don’t act with urgency, replace them. Florida made their first response to Parkland in less than one month. We can do just as well to start.

The task force would address mental health, interventions by family, school and law enforcement, increased criminal behavior profiling, community engagement, reviewing HIPAA privacy laws, and strengthening schools so they’re no longer soft targets.

I’m talking about a holistic and comprehensive approach with multiple actions coordinated together. Enough is enough. Let’s get on top of this crisis now and come together for the sake of our kids.

It’s worth mentioning that I’m a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment. I’m also the only candidate for Governor who has an “A+” NRA rating without ever taking a dime from their organization. But that won’t stop me from thinking anew about this critical issue before us.